Darkclaw's Greed
by Spottedstarshell
Summary: Darkness has seeped into the forest,waiting for a chance to strike.The light -unknown and unwelcome- strives to be the best, but when a strange cat visits her, will she still be the light, or will she join the dark-hearted?
1. alegiances

**I own the cats in BOLD!!!!!!**

**BIG THANKS to my co-authors, Liza Taylor,stormikat, and Sarafina Knowles!**

**Diclaimer: I don't own Warriors!! Erin Hunter does!!**

**Sunrise Alegiances**

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ThunderClan

**Leader**:

**Firestar**-ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt

**Deputy**:

**Brambleclaw**-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Medicine Cat**:

**Leafpool**-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes  
**Apprentice, Jayfeather**

**Warriors**:

**Squirrelflight**-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes  
**Apprentice, Foxpaw**

**Dustpelt**-dark brown tabby tom

**Sandstorm**-pale ginger she-cat

**Willowfrost-****White coat with red lynx markings, aqua eyes, she-cat**

**Darkclaw- black tom with white chin and paws with aqua eyes**

**Leopardgaze- white tom with black spots, amber eyes**

**Gingerflower- tan and ginger she-cat**

**Sandfire- pale tan and ginger tabby she-cat**

**Berryblossom- tortoiseshell-and-gray she-cat with blue eyes**

**Redgaze- white she-cat with red eyes. **

**Cloudtail**-long-haired white tom

**Brackenfur**-golden brown tabby tom

**Sorreltail**-tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

**Thornclaw**-golden brown tabby tom

**Brightheart**-white she-cat with ginger patches

**Spiderleg**-long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

**Whitewing**-white she-cat with green eyes  
**Apprentice, Icepaw**

**Birchfall**-light brown tabby tom

**Graystripe**-long-haired gray tom

**Berrynose**-cream-colored tom

**Hazeltail**-small gray-and-white she-cat

**Mousewhisker**-gray-and-white tom

**Lionblaze**-golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**Cinderheart**-gray tabby she-cat

**Poppyfrost**-tortoiseshell she-cat

**Honeyfern**-light brown tabby she-cat

**Apprentices**:

**Jayfeather**-gray tabby tom

**Foxpaw**-reddish tabby tom

**Icepaw**-white she-cat

**Queens**:

**Ferncloud**-pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes

**Daisy**-cream long-furred cat from the horseplace, mother of Spiderleg's kits: Rosekit (dark cream she-cat) and Toadkit (black-and-white tom)

**Millie**-striped gray tabby she-cat, former kittypet, mother of Graystripe's kits: Briarkit (dark brown she-cat), Bumblekit (very pale gray tom with black stripes), and Blossomkit (pale brown she-cat with a dark stripe running down her spine)

**Elders**:

**Longtail**-pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

**Mousefur**-small dusky brown she-cat

ShadowClan

**Leader**:

**Blackstar**-large white tom with huge jet-black paws

**Deputy**:

**Russetfur**-dark ginger she-cat

**Medicine Cat**:

**Littlecloud**-very small tabby tom

**Warriors**:

**Oakfur**-small brown tom

**Rowanclaw**-ginger tom

**Smokefoot**-black tom  
**Apprentice, Owlpaw**

**Ivytail**-white-and-tortoiseshell she-cat

**Toadfoot**-dark brown tom

**Crowfrost**-black-and-white tom  
**Apprentice, Olivepaw**

**Amberpool- dark tan she-cat**

**Hollytail- black and gray tabby she-cat**

**Airpool- white and gray tabby tom**

**Kinkfur**-tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles

**Ratscar**-brown tom with long scar across his back  
**Apprentice, Shrewpaw**

**Snaketail**-dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail  
**Apprentice, Scorchpaw**

**Whitewater**-white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye  
**Apprentice, Redpaw**

**Apprentices**:

**Owlpaw**-light brown tabby tom

**Olivepaw**-tortoiseshell she-cat

**Shrewpaw**-gray she-cat with black feet

**Scorchpaw**-dark gray tom

**Redpaw**-mottled brown and ginger tom

**Flamepaw**-ginger tom

**Tigerpaw**-dark brown tabby tom

**Dawnpaw**-cream-furred she-cat

**Queens**:

**Tawnypelt**-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Snowbird**-pure white she-cat

**Elders**:

**Cedarheart**-dark gray tom

**Tallpoppy**-long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

WindClan

**Leader**:

**Onestar**-brown tabby tom

**Deputy**:

**Ashfoot**-gray she-cat

**Medicine Cat**:

**Barkface**-short-tailed brown tom  
**Apprentice, Kestrelpaw**

**Warriors**:

**Tornear**-tabby tom

**Crowfeather**-dark gray tom

**Owlwhisker**-light brown tabby tom

**Firewind- flame colored tom with coal eyes**

**Grassheart- gray and white dappled she-cat **

**Birchtail- tan tom**

**Whitetail**-small white she-cat

**Nightcloud**-black she-cat

**Gorsetail**-very pale gray-and-white cat with blue eyes

**Weaselfur**-ginger tom with white paws

**Harespring**-brown-and-white tom

**Leaftail**-dark tabby tom, amber eyes  
**Apprentice, Thistlepaw**

**Dewspots**-spotted gray tabby she-cat  
**Apprentice, Sedgepaw**

**Willowclaw**-gray she-cat  
**Apprentice, Swallowpaw**

**Antpelt**-brown tom with one black ear

**Emberfoot**-gray tom with two dark paws  
**Apprentice, Sunpaw**

**Heathertail**-light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Breezepelt**-black tom with amber eyes

**Apprentices**:

**Kestrelpaw**-mottled gray tom

**Sunpaw**-tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead

**Swallowpaw**-dark gray she-cat

**Thistlepaw**-long-haired white tom

**Sedgepaw**-light brown tabby she-cat

**Queens**:

_None listed_

**Elders**:

**Morningflower**-very old tortoiseshell queen

**Webfoot**-dark gray tabby tom

RiverClan

**Leader**:

**Leopardstar**-unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

**Deputy**:

**Mistyfoot**-gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat**:

**Mothwing**-dappled golden she-cat  
**Apprentice, Willowshine**

**Warriors**:

**Blackclaw**-smoky-black tom

**Voletooth**-small brown tabby tom  
**Apprentice, Minnowpaw**

**Reedwhisker**-black tom

**Mosspelt**-tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes  
**Apprentice, Pebblepaw**

**Beechfur**-light brown tom

**Rippletail**-dark gray tabby tom  
**Apprentice, Mallowpaw**

**Troutfin-gray tabby tom**

**Petalleaf- tabby she-cat**

**Riverflash- blue tom**

**  
****Graymist**-pale gray tabby

**Dawnflower**-pale gray she-cat

**Dapplenose**-mottled gray she-cat

**Pouncetail**-ginger-and-white tom

**Mintfur**-light gray tabby tom  
**Apprentice, Nettlepaw**

**Otterheart**-dark brown she-cat  
**Apprentice, Sneezepaw**

**Pinefur**-very short-haired tabby she-cat  
**Apprentice, Robinpaw**

**Rainstorm**-mottled gray-blue tom

**Duskfur**-brown tabby she-cat  
**Apprentice, Copperpaw**

**Apprentices**:

**Willowshine**-gray tabby she-cat**Minnowpaw**-dark gray she-cat

**Pebblepaw**-mottled gray tom

**Nettlepaw**-dark brown tabby tom

**Robinpaw**-tortoiseshell-and-white tom

**Copperpaw**-dark ginger she-cat

**Mallowpaw**-light brown tabby tom

**Sneezepaw**-gray-and-white tom

**Queens**:

**Icewing**-white she-cat with green eyes, mother of Beetlekit, Pricklekit, Petalkit, and Grasskit

**Elders**:

**Heavystep**-thickset tabby tom

**Swallowtail**-dark tabby she-cat

**Stonestream**-gray tom

Cats Outside Clans

**Sol**-white-and-brown tabby long-haired tom with pale yellow eyes

**Lava-dappled brown tabby she-cat**

**Ember-dappled gray tortishell she-cat**

**Smoky**-muscular gray-and-white tom who lives in a barn at the horseplace

**Floss**-small gray-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace

**Purdy**-elderly, plump tabby loner with a gray muzzle

**Jingo**-dark brown tabby she-cat

**Hussar**-broad-shouldered gray tom

**Speckle**-flecked brown she-cat, nursing four kits

**Fritz**-black-and-white tom with a torn ear

**Pod**-scrawny brown tom with a gray muzzle

**Jet**-long-haired black tom

**Merry**-ginger-and-white she-cat

**Chirp**-pale gray tabby tom

Other Animals

**Midnight**-a stargazing badger who lives by the sea


	2. prolouge

This is by stormikat:

The nursery was dark. The only things visible were the shining eyes of the three cats inside. Two pairs were watching a ginger and tan she-cat as she panted. Her eyes would open and close on occasion.  
"She's going to have the kits," meowed Daisy, a long-haired she-cat with creamy fur. "Get Leafpool."  
The last she-cat, who was heavy with unborn kits, quickly left the nursery. Outside it was night and only the one guard was awake. Redgaze could barely see him. This was a night of no moon and only the cold stars twinkled down on them.  
"Redgaze?" the guards called.

He'd smelled her. Now he peered through the darkness, searching for her.  
"Yes," she answered back, her voice wavering. "Gingerflower is having her kits. I'm getting Leafpool."  
"Hurry up then," he meowed, excitement in his voice. Another birth in the Clan would be a good thing. ThunderClan hadn't had any kits for a long time and was short on apprentices.

Redgaze nodded and swiftly made her way to the medicine cat den. The cold stone underneath her paws felt good to her. Her whole body felt hot. She was anxious for Gingerflower. These kits had been ** her and Gingerflower had been in constant pain since the kits had started showing. Leafpool still wasn't sure if there was one kit or two. But however many there were, the kits were coming now.  
Redgaze started up the quarry wall trail. She entered the den. The sound of trickling water greeted her as she went farther in.  
"Leafpool?" Redgaze called out. She searched for the light brown tabby she-cat. She could barely make out a bundle of gray fur which had to be her son Jayfeather.  
Redgaze nudged him. The blind tom jerked awake.  
"Where's Leafpool?" Redgaze asked, her voice tight.  
"Here."  
And suddenly Leafpool was there. She'd been farther inside the den, taking care of

Poppyfrost who'd caught greencough. Redgaze could still hear a faint coughing from the tortoishell she-cat.  
"What's wrong?" Leafpool asked, coming closer.  
"Gingerflower is having the kits!" Redgaze squeaked.  
"Jayfeather get borage, birthwort, and the iris petals," Leafpool ordered, but the tom had already gotten up to do that as if he knew what was going on before Redgaze had said.

Leafpool led the way back to the nursery. Redgaze hurried after. By the time they got there, Gingerflower was starting to shriek in pain. Leafpool immediately hurried over. She sniffed over the kiting queen.  
"How long has this been going on for?" Leafpool asked.  
"A while," Daisy answered.  
Redgaze didn't think that helped. She didn't know how long because she'd been sleeping when suddenly Gingerflower's distress had awaken her. She didn't know how long Daisy had been up.

"She's going to give birth really soon," Leafpool meowed, her attention going back to Gingerflower. "Where is Jayfeather?"  
Her son arrived and was carrying the herbs Leafpool had ordered. He placed them next to Gingerflower and examined the queen.  
"Gingerflower you have to eat this," Leafpool coaxed, moving some leaves closer.  
Redgaze sat down and watched. Her tail curled around her feet. The tip brushed her own belly. The kits inside were moving. Perhaps they could sense her apprehension. Gingerflower didn't look good and that worried Redgaze.  
Leafpool managed to get the leaves down Gingerflower. Jayfeather was speaking in a calm voice to the queen while he pushed a paw on her belly.  
"You have to push," he meowed.  
"Yes, Gingerflower," Leafpool meowed. She took over what her son was doing so Jayfeather could speak some more to the queen.  
Redgaze could almost imagine that Jayfeather's sightless eyes could suddenly see. They looked almost shocked. For a while he remained frozen as Gingerflower's body shook as the she-cat tried to give birth.

Redgaze suddenly smelled blood. Leafpool was blocking her gaze and she couldn't see what was going on with her friend.  
"Someone should get Leopardgaze," she meowed quietly.  
Daisy flicked a tail and quickly got up. She left the nursery. Redgaze was relieved she didn't have to get Gingerflower's mate. She was starting to feel bad about mentioning it. Gingerflower looked like she was in pain. Leopardgaze shouldn't have to see it.  
Redgaze gulped as Gingerflower's breathing got faster and then there was a loud ripping sound, just as Gingerflower cried out. Redgaze darted forward, scared. She looked over Leafpool's shoulder to see a dark kit in a large pool of blood. It had its claws out and it flipped around. Redgaze was surprised at the ferociously that seemed to be on the kit's face.  
"Lick," Leafpool ordered, pushing the kit to Redgaze.

Redgaze quickly did, but her eyes were on Gingerflower. The queen was twisting in pain. There wasn't another kit was there? What was happening?  
Leafpool was trying to get more leaves down Gingerflower throat. Jayfeather was for some reason not moving, but Redgaze could see his mouth moving minimally. Over Gingerflower's thrashing, she thought she heard him say, "I will tell him."  
Who was he talking too? Redgaze wondered. Was he talking to Gingerflower? She hadn't even said anything though!  
The kit under Redgaze's tongue was still moving. Suddenly his sharp claws caught her tongue. The white queen jerked away but tasted blood. She looked at the kit in surprise. She was sure he hadn't done it on purpose.  
Leopardgaze rushed into the nursery, Daisy behind him.  
"Is she all right?" Leopardgaze demanded. He could see the blood.  
Redgaze suddenly noticed how still everything had gotten. She looked up from the strange dark kit and saw that Gingerflower was unmoving. She wasn't even breathing.

"I'm sorry, Leopardgaze," Leafpool meowed, her head bowed.  
"No," Leopardgaze shook his head. He slowly moved his feet over to his mate's body. He licked her head and her neck.  
"She is," Leafpool meowed. She let Leopardgaze grieve a while longer before she continued.  
"A healthy tom was born."  
"Where?" Leopardgaze asked, looking up. He searched near his mate's body.  
"Here," Redgaze told him.

Leopardgaze looked over.  
"Gingerflower wanted his name to be Darkkit," Jayfeather suddenly meowed.  
"Why?" Leopardgaze asked, his voice depressed as he stared at his son.  
"For the dark night and for his pelt," Jayfeather meowed. It looked like he might say more. Redgaze could see a disturbed look in his unseeing eyes. It was then Redgaze thought she could hear him say, "...and for his heart."

Redgaze looked away. She didn't think that was possible. No kit was evil from birth. Yet Darkkit had just killed his mother.  
"I'll nurse him," she suddenly blurted out. She knew she was going to have her kits soon and it was the least she could do for her dead friend.  
Her red eyes looked down at the kit by her feet. He was starting to mewl with hunger. It was extremely demanding.  
"Thank you," Leopardgaze meowed, his head bowed. He turned back to his mate and gave her one last lick.


	3. Chapter 1

This is written by Sarafina Knowles :) FIVE MOONS LATER

Redgaze blinked slowly, the wind tugging at her snow-white fur. Her red eyes followed Leopardgaze as the spotted tom slunk across the camp. He had been sulking for moons.  
It was a cool day out, and the sky high above them was the crisp blue of an ocean. Little wisps of clouds were painted gently across the endless blue, and Redgaze found the brilliant colors too bright to look at for long.  
A little shiver of sadness clawed Redgaze's spine. It was the fifth-moon anniversary of Gingerflower's death. Redgaze remembered that terrible night in the nursery, when Jayfeather and Leafpool helped the gentle Gingerflower give birth. And yet it had ended with pain; Gingerflower's newborn son, Darkkit, had killed her at birth. Not purposefully, Redgaze repeated to herself, for perhaps the hundredth time. Those things happened sometimes. Birth wasn't always a joyful event.  
And yet Redgaze had the memory of the way Jayfeather had almost hinted that Darkkit's heart was not pure. It was seared to her mind, like snow on a mountain. No force could get rid of it.  
An unexpected wave of sunlight sprinkled through the trees, and Redgaze sighed. She was a mother now, and getting a brief moment of rest from the nursery. Her four kits- Birdkit, Rainkit, Willowkit and Smokekit- had all been born just a week after Darkkit had, a week after Gingerflower's death.  
A soft purr rose in Redgaze's throat when she thought of her kits. Daisy was taking care of them right now, and adored them as much as Redgaze did. Birdkit was a daughter, a pretty blue-gray she-cat with big amber eyes. Rainkit and Smokekit were the boys- Rainkit had sleek black fur, and a single white dash on his chest like looked like a raindrop, and starry green eyes, Willowkit was a she-kit with had odd red lynx markings on her snowy-white fur with bright blue colored eyes, and Smokekit was a furry light gray kit, with emerald-green eyes.  
They were all sweet as catnip, and had been raised with Darkkit. He was like their brother, yet to Redgaze, the dark-furred kit was far from being a son.  
She had watched with keen eyes as Darkkit had learned to play, to speak, to torment his adoptive brothers and sister. He was a charming kit, and yet had a certain harsh streak to him that was unmistakable. Darkkit was a tiny bully, and Redgaze had a hard lump in her throat whenever she thought this. Because then, her thoughts always returned to the way he had clawed her tongue when he had barely started life, the ferocious look on his wet kitten face...  
A rough gust of wind nearly tumbled Redgaze over, and she stood up and shook herself, wondering if the wind had been a reprimand from StarClan. She was getting carried away. He's just a kit, she reminded herself. All kits can change.  
With a heavy heart, Redgaze began padding across the cold clearing and making her way back to the nursery. Her break was over, and her growing kits needed their mother.  
"Just a little while longer," Redgaze murmured to herself. Her kits- and Darkkit- would be apprenticed soon, and she could barely wait. It had been nice for awhile, not having to do patrols and hunting and so on, but it got boring, and she was anxious to return to her old, adventurous life as a warrior, instead as a queen. She had no idea how Daisy was always content to simply work in the nursery her whole life.  
She nodded to Thornclaw and Brightheart as the two warriors passed by her, and finally Redgaze stuck her head into the brambly nursery.  
"Hello?" she called in a playful voice.  
"Mother!" came several voices, and Redgaze slipped into the warm, sleepy nursery just as five furry bodies hurtled towards her and attacked.  
She laughed as her kits knocked her onto the soft ground and climbed all over her. Daisy and Ferncloud watched in amusement.  
"You've been gone for ages!" Birdkit exclaimed, licking her mother's ear rapidly.  
"Did you get tired of us?" Smokekit demanded.  
"I didn't miss you at all!" Rainkit declared, sticking his little chest out and curling his tail proudly.  
"You were practically crying for her!" Willowkit squeaked.

"Kits! Don't exhaust her! She's just gotten back!" Daisy told them, batting Rainkit gently with a paw.  
Darkkit, however, said nothing, and just blinked at Redgaze through his wide amber eyes, and suddenly pounced onto her tail. His sharp little claws slipped out like thorns, and pricked Redgaze's tail. She let out a gasp, startled by how painful his grip was.  
"Darkkit!" she snapped, wrenching her tail away. The kit fell back, blinking.  
"I'm just happy to see you," he said in his calm voice. Redgaze found herself slightly unnerved by how mature he sounded, but then the kit bounded over to her and pressed his little head into her chin, purring. She relaxed and rasped a tongue over his face. He's just a kit.  
"Did you talk to Firestar?" Smokekit cried.  
"Oh, yes, did you? Are we being apprenticed soon?" Birdkit loudly asked, tail waving.  
"Yeah, are we?" Willowkit asked.

Rainkit's emerald eyes glowed. "I can hardly wait!" he purred.  
Redgaze exchanged an amused look with Ferncloud before replying, "No, he didn't mention that yet. But soon, little kits, you can sleep your first night as a true apprentice."  
Birdkit and Smokekit let out excited cries, and Rainkit growled low in his throat, whipping around and glaring at Darkkit playfully. His little back arched and his tail puffed out. Redgaze bit back a laugh. Wilowkit sat there giggling.  
"I'm going to be Smokepaw, the greatest warrior ThunderClan had ever seen!" he yowled, pouncing on Darkkit. The two wrestled for a moment, growling and snapping playfully. Finally Darkkit knocked Smokepaw down and clambered up easily, pinning his adoptive-brother down. Redgaze blinked. The playful gleam was gone from his amber eyes.  
"Too late!" he replied, grinning. "I'm already the best warrior ever."  
Rainkit laughed and shoved Darkkit away. "Oh yeah?" he growled, and launched towards the dark-furred kit. Birdkit and Smokekit laughed, and everyone watched contentedly.  
"You five are getting way too big for the nursery, anyways!" Ferncloud remarked, licking her ruffled chest fur.  
Redgaze, however, was silent. She was the only cat in the den staring at Darkkit with unease clouding her eyes, wondering just how serious the kit had been.


	4. Chapter 2

This is written by me- Spottedstarshell--- ONE MOON LATER

"WE ARE GOING TO BE APPRENTICES!!!" Smokekit screeched.

Willowkit rolled her eyes. Her brother was always loud.

Their mother, Redgaze, had washed them for the 3rd time.

"Mother! " Birdkit squealed.

" Hush." Redgaze said sternly.

It was sunhigh by the time Firestar called a meeting.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join under The Highledge for a clan meeting." Firestar yowled.

"This sunhigh, we gather together to name five new apprentices. Birdkit, Rainkit, Willowkit, Darkkit, and Smokekit, come forward. From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Birdpaw. Brightheart, you will begin Birdpaw's training. I expect you to pass on everything you know about Star Clan and the warrior code. . From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Rainpaw. Berryblossom, you will begin Rainpaw's training. I expect you to pass on everything you know about StarClan and the warrior code. From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Smokepaw. Sandfire, you will begin Smokepaw's training. I expect you to pass on everything you know about StarClan and the warrior code. From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Willowpaw. I will begin Willowpaw's training. I will pass on everything I know about StarClan and the warrior code. From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Darkpaw. Berrynose, you will begin Darkpaw's training. I expect you to pass on everything you know about StarClan and the warrior code." Firestar finished.

"Darkpaw,Smokepaw,Willowpaw,Birdpaw, and Rainpaw!" ThunderClan chanted.

Redgaze's pelt was burning with happiness. It all turned to dread when when she saw Jayfeather. He was looking at Darkpaw with horror in his sightless eyes. Uneasiness pricked at her pelt. Jayfeather looked at her and slightly shook his head no. _No what?_ Redgaze thought.

**The next day in Darkpaw's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

_Ughhh, I got Berrynose, the annoying stubborn stuck-up warrior. _Darkpaw thought.

_I need to toy with him... _He thought gleefully

As Berrynose showed him through ThunderClan, Darkpaw called out.

"Hey, Berrynose, did you know about a cat called Honeyfern? Did you love her?"

Berrynose blinked. Then turned around and snarled in his apprentice's face.

"Yes and do not speak of her." He hissed.

"What'd she do, reject you?" Darkpaw snickered.

Berrynose snarled "NO!" and jumped on top of his apprentice, digging his claws into the other tom's back.

_This will be perfect… _Darkpaw thought.

"Help!" he yelped.

As Berrynose dug his claws into him, Firestar and Willowpaw bounded out of the brush. Firestar bowled Berrynose over and held him down.

"Darkpaw!" Willowpaw yowled.

She helped him up and back to camp.

As he walked into the Medicine cats den, he flashed Berrynose a sly grin.

" Why did you attack your apprentice?" Firestar asked Berrynose shaply.

"Firestar,something is not right with him. He was using Honeyfern to bolster me. Thats not right." Berrynose replied.

Firestar took this in.

"I don't want to be his mentor any more because..." Berrynose trailed off.

Firestar understood.

"Fine." He said

_Is Darkpaw really evil?_ Firestar asked himself.

_He's just an apprentice. _Firestar told himself

_Just an apprentice..._


	5. Chapter 3

This is written by stormikat:

Later that day, Firestar took a walk in the ThunderClan territory. He took no  
one with him. Not even Willowpaw, his apprentice. She was assigned to take  
care of the elders for the rest of the day after taking Darkpaw to the  
medicine cat den. He'd already shown her the borders. Firestar had an  
important decision to make and he had to do it alone. He didn't want the Clan  
to know his fears. He didn't even want his mate, Sandstorm, to know them. His  
fears would seem very kit-like because it was about a kit. Well, a kit no  
longer.

Darkpaw was on Firestar's mind. He'd already offended his mentor on the first  
day and they hadn't even been far out of camp. Sure, Firestar knew Berrynose  
should have handled the situation better. Darkpaw was just a young apprentice  
after that had brought up Honeyfern to the creamy warrior. The young ask  
innocent questions, but this question hadn't seemed very innocent. The way  
Berrynose explained it, Darkpaw had been playing with him. Had wanted him to  
get angry. Berrynose didn't want to be mentor to that black tom any longer.

There was something odd about Darkpaw that set Firestar on edge. Oh, yes,  
Jayfeather and Leafpool had told him their concerns about the young tom, and  
Firestar trusted their judgements, but StarClan could be wrong on occasion and  
they always withheld information. Perhaps this once they were mistaken about  
the tom. Firestar just had to give him a chance. He knew the mistake about  
judging a tom before he got to know him, and even first impressions changed.  
Firestar was now friends with Dustpelt and Longtail, and Brambleclaw was a  
good warrior. If Firestar still didn't trust those three, the Clan would be  
losing out on the help of three loyal warriors. Once Darkpaw got over his  
difficult stage, he was sure to be a great warrior too.

First, Firestar had to get Darkpaw a better mentor. One that could match the  
apprentice. Berrynose was just a bit young to be a mentor. That was proved  
with the way he'd handled the awkward situation. A good mentor never struck  
out at their apprentice unless it was extremely necessary. Berrynose just  
needed a bit more time to grieve over Honeyfern. Darkpaw needed a mentor that  
could handle the rumbustious kit. A cat that didn't get easily offended or  
angered. A cat that could understand the orphaned kit.

The clouds overhead rumbled. Firestar glanced up through the tree limbs and  
leaves. It looked as if it might rain. Firestar fluffed up his fur in the  
sudden breeze. It had been getting chilly lately though the season was  
greenleaf. It wasn't unexpected because the weather was strange and it did  
rain during greenleaf, but Firestar didn't like that it sent the prey into  
hiding. He wanted his Clan well fed and this rain wasn't going to help.

"I need a good warrior," Firestar mumbled to himself as he walked along, his  
ginger fur brushing against some ferns.

He thought of Graystripe, his best friend. Graystripe was a good, sturdy  
warrior. He didn't often get mad and he could probably handle anything Darkpaw  
presented him. But Firestar felt that if he favored Graystripe with another  
apprentice, the Clan might become annoyed. He had to keep a balance. Each  
warrior needed an apprentice at some point in their life.

"But a new, young warrior won't work," Firestar shook his head.

He couldn't pick anyone under Berrynose's age. He had been thinking about  
giving Darkpaw to his father, Leopardgaze, but the white tom with the black  
spots didn't care much for his young son. He didn't visit him in the nursery  
and didn't have time to say kind words to his only son. He didn't have any  
words for Darkpaw. It was as if the kit wasn't there. He had to have blamed  
the kit for his mate's death or else just found nothing in common with his  
son.

Because Firestar realized he couldn't give Darkpaw to a young warrior, that  
didn't give him a lot of options. He had to look at the older warriors.  
Firestar knew Cloudtail, Sandstorm, and Dustpelt would just argue all the time  
with Darkpaw. Their personalities would clash because they were so similar.  
Firestar also needed a strong cat to make sure Darkpaw didn't step out of  
bounds like he had with Berrynose. It had to be a cat Darkpaw would respect  
enough to listen to. Firestar knew the problems with respect. Though he'd  
loved his first apprentice, Cinderpelt, she hadn't listened to him very well  
and that had gotten her injured and she'd had to become a medicine cat.  
Firestar didn't want that happening to Darkpaw.

"A good, strong, older cat," Firestar meowed. He sighed and looked up again.  
The sun was trying to push its way through the thick clouds. It was almost  
succeeding when a gust of wind pushed the clouds together again. Suddenly  
Firestar felt drops of rain hitting his pelt. It was time to go back to camp.

*** (Darkpaw's view)

Darkpaw didn't spend long in the medicine cat's den. Leafpool quickly put  
some sort of mushed up herb onto his back to ease the pain of Berrynose's claw  
marks. Darkpaw was quite heathy despite the wounds and Leafpool was soon  
done.

Once outside of the medicine den, he saw Willowpaw waiting. She had a  
concerned look on her face.

"Are you okay?" she asked sweetly.

"I'm fine," Darkpaw snapped back. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You were bleeding--"

"I'm fixed. Don't you have anything better to do than to bother me?"

Why did she always have to follow him around? Even in the nursery she'd  
looked up to him and waiting for him to do something. Then she'd follow. Now  
Darkpaw just thought it was annoying. She didn't even fight as well as her  
brothers. They challenged Darkpaw to do better.

"Firestar told me to take care of the elders," Willowpaw meowed quietly, hurt  
by Darkpaw's sharp reply.

"Then do that."

Darkpaw quickly walked away to the apprentice den. He was going to pick out  
the best spot now that he had time. No other apprentice would be in right now  
so Darkpaw could get the best moss and comfortable spot.

"Would you like to help?" Willowpaw asked, following.

"No, I don't want to help you with those old bags of bones," Darkpaw answered  
rudely.

Willowpaw sighed and quickly walked away, her ears and tail drooped in hurt.  
Darkpaw didn't care. She needed to toughen up.

Darkpaw walked the rest of the way to the den and ducked inside. His pink  
nose wrinkled. The den smelled musty. It really had to get cleaned in there.  
He decided to do it since he had nothing better to do. It would also give him  
a chance to see if there were any secrets that the older apprentices had kept.  
Secrets he could use.

As Darkpaw worked, he wondered who Firestar would appoint has his new mentor.  
Darkpaw had made Berrynose attack him on purpose. Berrynose was not a good  
warrior. He was too self-centered and Darkpaw hadn't believed he'd be taught  
very well. Firestar had to give him a better one. So Darkpaw had taunted his  
mentor into attacking. If Firestar didn't give him a new mentor, then Darkpaw  
would have to continue playing with Berrynose until that happened.

Darkpaw wanted the best mentor there was. He wanted to learn. He was just an  
apprentice fresh out of the nursery and he didn't know a lot of things. He  
didn't know how to hunt or to fight in a battle. Darkpaw wanted to learn from  
the best, and Berrynose wasn't that. If Darkpaw got a better mentor, he  
wouldn't play games with that one. It would be time to learn everything he  
could. A time to sharpen his skills for greater needs.

The rain started falling before evening. Darkpaw stuck his head out of the  
clean apprentice den and watched cats scurry under cover. He watched a few  
come through the entrance tunnel.

Birdpaw and Smokepaw brushed past Darkpaw as they fled into the den. They  
were just a bit wet and muddy.

"That's my spot," Darkpaw meowed over his shoulder as Smokepaw started laying  
down.

"Sorry," Smokepaw winced and moved over.

Birdpaw sat next to him and started licking her blue-gray fur.

"It was great today!" the she-cat meowed between licks. "Brightheart showed  
be the whole border and then she taught me how to hunt birds!"

Smokepaw said almost the same thing, but Darkpaw wasn't listening. He was  
watching Firestar come through the entrance and run to his den. Darkpaw's  
sharp eyes were on the ThunderClan leader. What had he decided?

"How about you?" Birdpaw asked Darkpaw.

"Berrynose attacked me," Darkpaw meowed. "He won't be my mentor any longer."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Birdpaw meowed.

"It doesn't matter. I didn't want him anyway."

Before either of the apprentices could reply, Willowpaw and Rainpaw came  
through the entrance. They were dripping wet. Darkpaw got out of their way.

"I hate the rain," Rainpaw meowed, his teeth chattering.

"You should get a new name," Darkpaw told him.

"You should get a new name," Rainpaw protested and jumped on Darkpaw.

Darkpaw readily fought. He knew Rainpaw was just playing and didn't intend to  
cause any injury at all, but he was honing his skills. He was going to be the  
best fighter of all Clan history.

***

The quick rain let up just before nightfall. The Clan came out of their dens  
when Firestar called them. They sat under the high ledge, wondering what this  
was about.

"Darkpaw will receive a new mentor," Firestar meowed. Everyone meowed in  
shock, not understanding why that would happen so soon, but Darkpaw looked  
pleased.

"Berrynose has requested not to be mentor any longer. Instead, Brackenfur  
will teach Darkpaw."

Darkpaw really was pleased. Brackenfur was a really good warrior. He also  
would be easy to get away with things. It wasn't that Brackenfur was  
thickheaded and oblivious, it was just the ginger tom had other things on his  
mind, like his love for Sorreltail. That could give Darkpaw a few advantages  
over his mentor if he wanted to get away with things.

Brackenfur looked surprised at the decision as well but he stepped forward to  
receive his apprentice. Darkpaw touched noses with his new mentor. He couldn't  
wait for tomorrow.


	6. Chapter 4

Brackenfur felt a sudden clawing at his tail, and his eyes flashed open. The  
tom whirled around, bits of dust and moss flying, to lock eyes with his new  
apprentice.

"Darkpaw!" he meowed with surprise, blinking and giving his ruffled  
chest fur a lick. "What are you doing? This is the warrior's den!" His  
face broke into a yawn, and as Brackenfur glanced around, he saw other furry,  
sleeping bodies huddled close together. He had been sleeping in the den, the  
night after becoming a mentor.

Luckily, none of the other cats had been disturbed by Brackenfur's painful  
wake-up call.

"I wanted you to wake up. I was bored," Darkpaw replied with a sense of  
carelessness, like he really didn't mind the fact he'd caused his mentor  
unnecessary pain.

"Well, it's no way to waken your mentor," Brackenfur growled, shaking  
himself and pointing his muzzle towards the veiled entrance to the den.  
"Out, now."

Darkpaw just sighed and, with the sweep of his shadow-colored tail, was gone  
from the den.

"He'll be an interesting one," came a murmur from the corner.  
Brackenfur narrowed his eyes towards the talking corner. "Cinderheart?"  
He meowed softly.

Her hauntingly familiar eyes glowed out towards Brackenfur. "Who else  
could it be?" she rasped, with a chuckle.

Brackenfur rolled her opinion over in his mind, then shrugged and backed out  
from the den, the leafy ferns and bristles covering the hole scratching his  
pelt as he went.

When Brackenfur took a gulp of the morning air, it splashed his lungs with  
relish and seemed to wash over his body, chasing away any tire or slight  
annoyance towards Darkpaw. The sky was a faint black, tumbling into blue, and  
making the sky look twice as endless. Yet the few last flickers of Silverpelt  
glittered down at Brackenfur, and he flicked an ear, wondering what was going  
on up there.

All of a sudden, there came a heavy thud, and Brackenfur found himself being  
bowled over by a small, furry bullet. He flipped around, swiped at the foe,  
and finally managed to kick him off. When the dust settled, Brackenfur saw the  
sleek chest of Darkpaw risen proudly towards him.

"I knew I could do it!" he purred, eyes bright.  
Despite his embarrassment (after all, what good warrior was knocked down by  
a new apprentice?), and his flickers of aggravation (the little guy was  
already showing signs of rudeness), Brackenfur was nonplussed. "That was,  
well, amazing," he admitted, shaking off the last traces of dust clinging to  
his fur.

"No," Darkpaw meowed, his eyes darkening just a notch. "Well, I got  
you down, but there was no fight. You won. I lost." The words seemed dragged  
out of the apprentice's throat like he had swallowed some sand.  
Brackenfur was overcome with a sense of slight sympathy. "Don't feel like  
that," he encouraged his new apprentice. "Look, you're young, what you did  
was good for someone your size."

Darkpaw mulled this over for a minute, long enough for Brackenfur to take a  
quick glance around the clearing. Lionblaze and Jayfeather were quietly  
discussing something by the fresh-kill pile, which was dangerously low for the  
Clan. Meanwhile Thornclaw, Cloudtail, and Willowfrost were just slipping  
through the Clan entrance, probably from a morning patrol. And Sandfire was  
cleaning herself a ways off, her eyes clouded with thoughts. Otherwise, the  
Clan was asleep.

"Can we go for a hunt?" Darkpaw piped up. "I'm hungry, and a nice, fat  
pigeon sounds-"

"You hunt for the Clan first," Brackenfur said firmly.  
Something flashed in Darkpaw's eyes, but he bit his tongue and walked  
stiffly away. "Fine. Let's go hunt for the Clan, then."

Brackenfur narrowed his eyes after the youngster, thinking uneasily. Once  
before, in all of his time as an apprentice, had Brackenfur felt like he had  
failed as a mentor, and that had been with Hollyleaf, after she had foolishly  
chased a squirrel into a cave, and it had fallen on her. He had been  
devastated to feel that surely there must have been something to keep her from  
that, and he had failed to emblaze it into her mind.

And now, with Darkpaw as his new apprentice, Brackenfur had that weird  
gut-feeling that it wasn't going to be an easy experience. Darkpaw seemed  
eager enough, but something about the apprentice just made Brackenfur want to  
scrape his claws against rock. Maybe it had something to do with the fact he  
had killed- even if not on purpose- his own mother, Gingerflower, and had  
always been known as the "aggressive kit" in the nursery, and had cruelly  
taunted Berrynose, a full-grown warrior at that, and reduced him to a shaken  
mess. And now this amazing yet somehow spine-tingling apprentice was under  
Brackenfur's paws, and it was up to him to guide Darkpaw on the path of  
righteousness and wisdom.

Brackenfur had been so wrapped up in his thoughts, he hadn't realized that  
Darkpaw had long-since disappeared into the forest, and that was when he heard  
the high yowl of a terrified cat.

* * *

this chapter was written by Sarafina Knowles

This note is from Spottedstarshell-

For the month of 2009-10, there have been a total of **167 Hits** and **64 Visitors** to story: that means only **5 **people reviewed and **59** didn't review.

Thank-you to everyone even if you just read the story and reveiw, although it would be nice if you did reveiw.


	7. Chapter 5

Brackenfur raced toward the sound. He bounded to the border of WindClan and ThunderClan _WindClan! _He thought.

The next thing he saw changed his life for ever.

There, in a small clearing, was Darkpaw under a black cat. Behind the cat were two cats, a silver and gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes and yellow and orange tabby tom with blue eyes.

He charged at the cat. He flipped the she-cat over and gasped. There, below him, lay his former apprentice. Hollyleaf.

"Hollyleaf!" He gasped "You're alive!"

"Of course I am!" She snarled.

Brackenfur let her up and gave his chest fur a few licks

"Whose kits are these?" Brackenfur asked.

"Mine." She answered proudly.

Brackenfur nearly doubled over in shock. Hollyleaf. Had kits. His head was starting to spin.

"With who?" He choked out.

"Crag Where Eagles Nest. " Hollyleaf answered plainly.

"A tribe cat?" He questioned unbelievingly.

"Yes." She snapped coldly.

_Alright, Miss Mood swings!_Brackenfur thought.

"What are their names?" He asked, looking at the kits.

"Orange Sky where Sun Sinks." The yellow and orange tabby tom said.

"Feather from the Flying Swan." The gray tabby she-cat said.

"Mist Where Water Crashes Down twisted her paw while in the tribe and could not come." Hollyleaf finished.

Brackenfur just know realized how thin they were.

"I take you back to camp." He stated

"Thank you." She said

"How can you take these filthy Rouges back to the camp?" Darkpaw hissed. " She attacked me while I was hunting!"

"You attacked Orangekit!" Hollyleaf spat.

Brackenfur cuffed him over the ear and led the way back to camp.

_I wonder where Hollyleaf wasbefore she found the tribe. I guess she'll tell her story to the Clan._ Brackenfur pondered.

* * *

As they walked into camp, they walked into Jayfeather. The catmint he was carrying dropped from his mouth. All he could do was mouth one word...

_Hollyleaf._


	8. Chapter 6

Brackenfur brought a strange cat into camp that day even before sun high. Willowpaw was cleaning out the elders den like Firestar had taught her. She wasn't aware that anyone new had come until she left the den to get mousebile. She didn't really like the job of cleaning off the elder's ticks, but she knew it was for the best. When she was an elder, she'd want some one to take care of her.

"Bring back a mouse with you when you get back!"

The order came out of the den after her.

Willowpaw glanced back.

"Yes, Mousefur," she meowed obediently.

Meanwhile she scowled. How was she supposed to carry two things at once? She'd have to get help.

She looked around the quarry, the dark shadows hiding cats in the farthest corners. She looked around for her sister or brothers. She wished Darkpaw was around. She'd ask him to help. Of course he'd refused the other day, but Willowpaw felt she had to try. She wanted to be with him anyway, but he always avoided her and that made her try harder.

As Willowpaw looked around, she spotted a black she-cat standing near Firestar's den. Willowpaw's ears went up as she looked in that direction. To young cats, seeming to be apprentice age, sat at her paws, their heads roving side to side as they looked around the quarry. Willowpaw had never seen these cats before and her interest was caught.

She walked to them, her duty to the elders forgotten. As she walked over one of the young cats saw her. His blue eyes stared at her as she got near. He meowed to the black cat. The she-cat turned looked at Willowpaw.

Willowpaw got to them and for a while just stared. Then she realized how rude she was being.

"Hi," she meowed, smiling. "I'm Willowpaw. What's your name?"

"Hollyleaf," the black she-cat meowed, an amused smile crossing her face briefly. Then she rubbed her tail along the two apprentices.

"I'm Orange Sky where Sun Sinks," the orange tom meowed, his eyes looking at Willowpaw mistrusting clear on his narrow face.

"Feather from the Flying Swan," the gray she-cat answered.

"You can call them Orangekit and Featherkit," Hollyleaf meowed.

"What?" Willowpaw asked. That didn't make sense. Why did they have two names?

Hollyleaf could see the apprentice's confusion.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" Hollyleaf asked, surprised.

Willowpaw wordlessly shook her head. Her eyes went back to the 'kits'. They looked too big to be kits!

Hollyleaf was about to say more when the ginger head of Firestar came out of the leader's den. He looked down at Hollyleaf.

"You can come in now."

Hollyleaf dipped her head and stood to obey. Her two kits got up to follow. Firestar looked around and spotted Willowpaw.

"Can I come?" she asked. She didn't want to be left out of this.

Firestar nodded, giving her a smile. She brightened and followed Featherkit up the slope and to the leaders den.

Once inside, Willowpaw was surprised to see Darkpaw and Brackenfur. Darkpaw sat hunched over, and annoyed look on his black face. His tail twitched back and forth as he glared at Orangekit and Hollyleaf.

"Hello, Darkpaw," Willowpaw squeaked.

He looked over at her, his glare not changing on bit. Willowpaw felt sad. Her tail drooped as she went farther into the den.

"Willowpaw," Firestar meowed.

She looked up at her mentor. He gave her a smile back.

"This is my granddaughter, Hollyleaf. We thought she died a few seasons back. Instead, I'm grateful to see she is still alive."

Hollyleaf blinked in surprise but said nothing.

"And has kits of her own," Firestar continued. He turned his green eyes on her. "Brackenfur said these were Crag Where Eagles Nest's kits?"

Hollyleaf nodded.

"Why did you go to the Tribe?" Firestar asked, his face now that of a leader and not of a joyful relative. He sat next to Willowpaw in the dark. The only light came from the cave entrance.

"I had to get away for a while," Hollyleaf meowed, her head bowed. "There were some emotional troubles. I didn't want to be a half-Clan cat. And finding out. . . that just hurt. I need time to recover. So I went to the Tribes. Remember we went there when Stormfur and Brook were banished and Crag came to get them?"

Firestar nodded for her to continue. Willowpaw still didn't know what was going on. She'd never heard these stories. She thought about asking Birdpaw or Smokepaw if they had. If not, maybe she'd ask Redgaze, or the elders.

As Willowpaw thought of the elders she was reminded that she had to take care of them. Her ears went back. She hoped they didn't get too mad at being left alone for a while. She really wanted to know what was going on.

"We'll I got to the Tribe. They invited me when I explained what I was doing. I learned how to be a cave-guard. I wasn't so good at the hunting part, but protecting I could do. After a while I fell in love with Crag and we had three kits."

"Three?" Firestar asked. "Where's the third? Darkpaw didn't do anything to it did he?"

Darkpaw glared even harder. Willowpaw wondered what was going on. Had Darkpaw attacked someone? She tipped her head and looked at the others.

"No," Hollyleaf shook her head. After opening her eyes to glare at Darkpaw she continued, "Mist Where Water Crashes Down twisted her paw. She couldn't come. I don't believe she wanted to anyway. She twisted it so she could stay with her father."

Hollyleaf looked sad.

"So why did you come back?" Firestar finally asked. He gave his granddaughter a sympathetic look.

"I felt it was time," Hollyleaf meowed. "Eventually I wanted to return home to my Clan. I wanted my kits to grow up here. The Tribe was nice, but I needed to come back to my Clan. Orange and Feather came with me. Will you accept me back into the Clan Firestar?"

Hollyleaf looked at the leader hopefully.

Firestar nodded. "I will."

"My kits will be six moons in one sunrise," Hollyleaf meowed. "Would you make them apprentices?"

"Of course," Firestar nodded. "Let's tell the Clan you're back."

He stood up and the rest of the cats started to follow. Willowpaw stayed back so she could get close to Darkpaw.

"What happened?" she asked him.

"I found them trespassing," Darkpaw spat quietly, glaring at the three's backs. "That orange thing deserved what he got from me."

"What?" Willowpaw asked.

"A good bite," Darkpaw meowed. "I would have done more, but Hollyleaf got in my way. And then Brackenfur came." He snorted. "Now Firestar's punishing me for attacking a kit."

"Really?" Willowpaw asked.

She felt bad that he was being punished and wanted to say so, but at the same time she didn't think he should have hurt Orangekit. He was still a kit after all. At least for a while yet. Soon he and his sister would join her in the apprentice den. She couldn't wait for more friends!

"Yes, I have to take care of the elders," he growled. "I would rather be battle training. Or hunting. I don't want to have to wait on those old things."

"But they're your elders," Willowpaw meowed, shocked. "They took care of this Clan when they–"

But Darkpaw stalked off, slapping his tail over her jaws, preventing her from saying more. He didn't want to hear it. Willowpaw stared after him, hurt once more. She slowly followed, jumping down from the ledge after the dark tom. By now Firestar was getting ready to call the Clan. Willowpaw looked at him and saw that her mentor was looking at Darkpaw with something close to anger. He'd heard what Darkpaw had said. Willowpaw hopped nothing bad happened to Darkpaw. Caring for the elders wasn't that bad, but Firestar could probably come up with something worse.

"Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high ledge!" Firestar yowled.

The ThunderClan cats trickled from the dens and from the shadows. They stared at Hollyleaf, uncertain, confused, or even angry. Willowpaw meanwhile sat and waited for what Firestar would say. Who would mentor the two new apprentices? What would happen now that three new cats were in the Clan? Things were certainly going to change.


	9. Chapter 7

Firestar's mind was a confused swirl as he gazed down upon his Clan. He was  
rattled to see Hollyleaf alive- after all these seasons of believing her  
spirit to be dead, she was really alive. And to think she had been with the  
Tribe this whole time. And fallen in love with one of them. Was that against  
the Code? Firestar shook his head. It hardly mattered right now.  
What mattered was how exactly he was going to explain this mess to his Clan.  
The memory of Hollyleaf revealing the shattering secret of Leafpool's affair  
with Crowfeather still burned in all their minds, and it was an overwhelming  
task to try and clean her slate. Because Firestar was not as gullible as  
Jayfeather and Lionblaze thought- he had a dark feeling that Ashfur's murder  
was more complicated than what met the eye.  
He took a shaky breath, flicked his tail, and cleared his throat. Time to  
heal a bitter wound and restore the Clan's trust in the untrustworthy  
Hollyleaf. Or was she trustworthy? But as Firestar gazed at his granddaughter,  
and her cold, emerald-green eyes glittered up at him, her thick black pelt  
bristled and menacing, he could not succumb to his old trust in her. He would  
be forever wary of this infamous she-cat.  
"Cats of ThunderClan," he called out, voice ringing like a thunderclap  
across the field of curious, sharp eyes and bristling spines. "Today I  
bring... news." He swallowed, unsure if Hollyleaf's return was labeled  
"good" or "bad". "Hollyleaf has returned to ThunderClan."  
Every single cat in the gathered space under the High Ledge knew this, for  
the news had spread like a disease into every cat's ear, but this fact did not  
soften their shouts of disbelief and anger. Just as Firestar had feared, they  
hadn't quite forgotten the wounds Hollyleaf had cruelly inflicted to all the  
Clans at the lake.  
"No!" Thornclaw bellowed, outraged, bristling next to Spiderleg,  
Dustpelt, Cloudtail, and Redgaze.  
"She's dead!" Berrynose and Sorreltail cried out in shock.  
Mousewhisker, Honeyfern, and Birchfall weaved back and forth, yowling,  
"But she destroyed the Clans!"  
Firestar's dismayed eyes traveled across the rebelling crowd. His ears  
pricked in interest to notice Lionblaze and Jayfeather sitting a ways off,  
ears flattened and eyes gleaming with mixed emotions. And Leafpool wasn't far  
away from them, sitting alone, head bowed upon her chest. Firestar's memories  
blossomed as he recalled how angry Brambleclaw had been to realize Hollyleaf  
and the others weren't his kits, and he saw the muscled tabby walking stiffly  
over to Squirrelflight, who was in a group with Sandfire and Berryblossom.  
The anxious, angry, and shocked meows of the Clan all garbled together into  
one furious voice, blotting out the sun and making Firestar's ears ache. He  
shook himself, blood boiling with impatience, and called out, "SILENCE!"  
The clearing went dead in a matter of seconds, and everyone was frozen,  
staring up at their leader. Some twisted their heads to glance at Hollyleaf,  
sitting calmly with Orangekit and Featherkit, and Firestar couldn't miss the  
looks of disbelief and even disgust cross his cat's faces.  
He twitched his whiskers and began to talk. "I know this is a shock to all  
of us," he rumbled, feeling Lionblaze's eyes burn holes into his skull.  
"But we mustn't act too strongly. As surprising as this event is, we mustn't  
let it cloud the way we look at Hollyleaf and her children-"  
"Children?" Mousefur loudly rasped from the edge of the elder's den.  
Longtail was sitting, tense, next to her, his blank eyes looking stormy for  
once.  
"No way!" Brightheart yowled, her ravaged face looking ugly with a  
furious grimace painted upon it.  
"Yes," Firestar meowed stiffly, curling his tail towards Hollyleaf,  
meaning for her to stand up and introduce her kits.  
All eyes turned upon Hollyleaf then, and the black she-cat stood, emerald  
eyes unreadable, as she nudged Featherkit forward. Firestar felt a stab of  
pity for the trembling kit, knowing how confused she must feel. "This is  
Feather from the Flying Swan, or Featherkit," she called. "And this,"  
she added, motioning to her son, "is Orange Sky where Sun Sinks."  
An unnerved muttering went up inside the Clan, and Whitewing loudly meowed,  
"Those kinda sound like Tribe cat names..."  
"And rightly so," Hollyleaf agreed with a proud puff of her chest.  
"Their father is Crag where Eagles Nest."  
Firestar shut his eyes, prepared for another turmoil to rake the cats, and  
sure enough, more cries shook his pounding head.  
"A Tribe cat?" Ferncloud mewed, her pretty face watching from the  
nursery wall.  
"Isn't that against the Code?" Foxpaw muttered to Icepaw. The two  
apprentices were sitting close to the High Ledge, and Firestar's keen ears  
could hear them perfectly.  
Clearly, Hollyleaf's hearing was pretty good, too.  
"The Code?" she answered in a cold, mocking voice, a sneer making her  
face ugly. "The Code is broken. I do not care about it any longer. My very  
birth smashed the Code to pieces... just like Brokenstar."  
Firestar was surprised Hollyleaf knew about the murderous leader from many  
seasons ago, but he supposed that some stories never died. And judging from  
the fearful expressions flitting across cat's faces, they had heard the  
stories, too.  
"Anyways," Firestar said loudly, clearing his throat and hoping to catch  
his Clan's attention. "Look, Crag is a good cat- he was kin to Brook, and  
she was a great friend, remember? And we believed Hollyleaf to be dead,  
therefore the Code can't exactly apply to her..."  
"But she wasn't dead," Leapoardgaze pointed out.  
Firestar clawed the rock under his paws with frustration, and resisted the  
urge the glare that cat down. "Listen; do not question," he managed  
through gritted teeth. He was already under enough stress from Darkpaw to this  
startling arrival and handling the Clan... ughh!...  
"Hollyleaf's home is with ThunderClan. I'm happy to see her again," came  
a quiet voice, and every cat blinked and looked around with surprise to  
realize Leafpool had spoken.  
"Leafpool?" Brambleclaw meowed uncertainly.  
"I'm with her," Jayfeather announced. Lionblaze glanced at his brother,  
then at Hollyleaf, and sighed. "Me too," he mumbled.  
There was a pause, and suddenly Graystripe stood up slowly. "I'm glad  
Hollyleaf's home," he meowed firmly.  
Firestar blinked. No one else rose to Hollyleaf's welcome.  
"Well," he meowed uneasily. "Hollyleaf..."  
Hollyleaf had been staring at her mother, and when she looked at Firestar,  
there was left-over anger still flickering in those eyes. "Yes,  
Firestar?"  
He sighed. "Welcome home."  
Hollyleaf pursed her lips, shrugged, and curled her tail around her two  
kits.  
"This Meeting is dismissed!" Firestar yowled, and slowly, the cats began  
breaking up, whispering and looking at Hollyleaf, and trickled away until the  
space under the High Ledge was almost empty. Just Leafpool and Jayfeather were  
left, standing side-by-side. Jayfeather mumbled something into his mother's  
ear.  
Firestar hopped carefully down from the ledge, and uncertainly made his way  
over to Hollyleaf. He stopped, however, when he realized she was not looking  
at him, but at Leafpool. There was silent anger and grief mingled in each  
she-cat's gaze.  
Leafpool stepped forward, as if ready to go over to Hollyleaf, but the black  
she-cat stood up, gathered her son and daughter, and padded stiffly away.  
Firestar swung his head back around to his daughter, but found Leafpool and  
Jayfeather retreating back to the medicine-cat den, heads hanging. He saw  
Leafpool's mouth moving, talking too softly and too quickly for him to  
understand.  
And the leader was left alone under the blazing sun-high sky.


	10. Chapter 8

After the meeting, Hollyleaf ushered her kits towards the nursery. Poppyfrost watched them with narrowed eyes.

Poppyfrost snorted.

"At least I'm not expecting a Tribe cat's kits." She muttered.

Hollyleaf felt anger pulsing through her veins. She remembered her brush with death.

_Hollyleaf darted toward the tunnels._

_**I'm a Half-Clan cat! A filthy blooded half-clanner!**_

_I didn't realize the dirt pouring onto me until Jayfeather screeched. Then everything went dark. I pulled myself thorough the pile of dirt. I staggered to a wall, and I crumbled to the ground, breathing heavily._

_It took two sunrises for me to get out of the tunnels, five to find the tribe, and only one to fall for Crag. He helped me so much._

Hollyleaf padded to the Medicine Cat den.

"Jayfeather" She started softly.

"Thank you."

"For what?" He asked.

Hollyleaf laid her muzzle on his head,closed her eyes, and whispered softly, "For trying to help me save me from the tunnels."

Jayfeather's eyes moistened. Hollylef turned and left.

Hollyleaf stalked out to the clearing and sat down. The sunhigh patrol had just arrived back camp.

"I can't believe the half-clan kit had to come back." A cat meowed.

Hollyleaf whipped around to find herself face-to-face with Berrynose.

"At least I'm not a kittypet, Notail!" Hollyleaf spat.

Berrynose let out a yowl and launched himself onto her. Hollyleaf dodged the attack and raked him with her claws. The cream-colored tom let out a yowl of pain.

"Whats wrong Notail?" Hollyleaf taunted.

Berrynose darted forwards and caught Hollyleaf on her shoulder, then clawed her back, her causing her to let out a yowl. By now everyone was watching them, peering at them from ledges and dens, with Firestar standing on the HighLedge.

"Hollyleaf, stop!" A voice called.

Hollyleaf froze for a heartbeat, before whipping around and leaping onto Lionblaze.

"You traitor, you left me to die in the tunnels!"" Hollyleaf snarled.

A few cats gasped while others hissed at Hollyleaf. Lionblaze caught Hollyleaf's shoulder as she leapt onto him and forced her onto the ground. Hollyleaf let out a screech and fell silent, panting between gasps.

_I can't believe I forgot his powers!_

She looked up at Lionblaze and hissed, "Tigerstar."

Lionblaze gasped and backed up in horror. Hollyleaf leapt up and bit his leg. Lionblaze snarled and bit down on shoulder. Lionblaze froze as he heared his sisters cry as teeth met bone. Blood gushed from the wound and onto the quarry floor. Lionblaze stumbled back in horror of what he had just done. _I am just like Tigerstar!_

"Mother!" Orangekit and Featherkit cried, dashing out from the Nursery.

Lionblaze froze, remembering his sister had kits.

While Featherkit was hovering over Hollyleaf, Orangekit spat,

"What did you do to her?"

Featherkit looked up at him with sad eyes and said,

"Why?"

"I...I…didn't mean…"Lionblaze stuttered.

"Kits, she'll be fine." Jayfeather said snapped.

As Jayfeather helped Hollyleaf to the medicine cat den, with the kits following closely, Firestar padded over to Lionblaze and whispered,

"In my den,now."

Lionblaze followed Firestar to his den with his head hung. _What have I done?_

* * *

**Happy New Years everyone!!**


	11. Chapter 9

The Gathering came quickly after Willowpaw was made an apprentice. Many things had happened that whole moon after she became six moons. Firestar allowed her to go to her first one and Willowpaw was excited about meeting all of the other cats. Willowpaw padded beside Smokepaw along the lakeshore across the smooth stones. The full moon shone down on them, reflecting off of the still lake as a warm breeze ruffled the cat's fur. Willowpaw's mind wasn't with the group, though. She was thinking about the camp.

The apprentice with the white coat and red lynx markings glanced back to the forest where the quarry was. Darkpaw was still there. Firestar said it was part of his punishment of attacking Orangekit to stay at camp during the Gathering. Darkpaw wasn't happy with the decision at all. Willowpaw wished he was coming with her so they could share their first Gathering together. Who knew when Darkpaw would get to a Gathering with his behavior.

Left in the quarry with the black apprentice was Hollyleaf and Lionblaze as well as a few other cats. Hollyleaf wasn't coming because Firestar didn't want the other Clans to get angry with her. After seeing Berrynose's reaction, the ginger leader had realized not everyone would be happy with his granddaughter's return. They wouldn't accept her kits easily. He didn't want any arguments to arise while he was at the Gathering. There had been a few moons of peace and Firestar wasn't willing to break it.

Lionblaze was being left behind with Hollyleaf because of attacking his sister that day without a reason. Though first Lionblaze had been defending Berrynose, the fight had turned to something else and Firestar had been disappointed with the golden tom. Firestar was determined that Lionblaze and Hollyleaf would get along. Firestar sent them on patrols together for the last half-moon. Though they hadn't gotten into anymore fights, there was still tension between the siblings. Hollyleaf and Jayfeather got along though. They were seen together a lot except when Leafpool was around. Hollyleaf still never spoke to her mother.

"Watch your step," Smokepaw meowed suddenly.

Willowpaw blinked and realized they'd reached the island already. The smooth fallen tree bridge was in her way, the last obstical to the island. It's large roots faced her, the dirt having been washed off long ago. Willowpaw looked at the log and saw the moss growing on the bottom of the tree as it touched the water. ThunderClan was on its way across the natural bridge now, not slowing down. Firestar waited behind her. Willowpaw had to get a move on if she wanted to get to the Gathering and not be left behind.

"I'll help you over," Firestar told Willowpaw and her brother.

"Thank you," Smokepaw meowed with a smile.

Willowpaw's brother was the first onto the log. The light gray tom jumped up and with his claws digging in, started over the lakewater and to the island. He didn't seem nervous at all. Willowpaw got on next. She was startled by how slipery the wood really was. Her claws dug in even as her paws tried to unbalance her. She gulped and hurried over.

"Take your time," Firestar soothed, behind her.

He was walking slowly, keeping an eye on Willowpaw and her brother. Smokepaw didn't seem to be having any problems at all. He was going slowly but he didn't seem worried. Willowpaw suddenly admired her brother even more. He would make a good warrior.

The end of the bridge was far away in Willowpaw's mind but when she finally got there and jumped onto the island shore she breathed a sigh of relief. Her paws touched the sandy shore line and her ears took in the soft sound of the water and cat voices in the distance. She could even hear the scratch of claws of cats still coming across the trees. She could hear their steady breathing all in one instant she stood still.

"If Darkpaw could see you, he'd call you a mouse," Smokepaw grinned at her.

Willowpaw, eyes shooting open, gasped, realizing he was right. Darkpaw would have easily gone over and not been scared. He would have mocked her if he'd been there.

"Next time I won't be," Willowpaw vowed.

"First time is always the hardest," Firestar meowed, agreeing, "Just don't get cocky. If you aren't careful, even warriors can slip."

Willowpaw nodded, listening to her mentor and then watched him hurry to the large tree the leaders meet on. All the other Clans were waiting. ThunderClan was later than everyone as usual.

As the last of ThunderClan crossed over and joined the Clans in the center of the island, Smokepaw and Willowpaw went to find some other apprentices. They stared at the grouping of cats around them, many talking, laughing, or demonstrating. All were warriors or elders and it seemed as if the mood was friendly.

"Sandfire told me to listen to them but not tell them anything about ThunderClan," Smokepaw meowed, bright eyes scanning the crowd.

Willowpaw's ears tiltled. She could recall Firestar telling her the same thing. Of course if all the apprentices heard that, then would the other Clans even speak with her? It seemed as if it would be a boring Gathering if no one was allowed to talk about their Clans.

Eventually they found a group of cats that looked to be older than six moons. Smokepaw eagerly joined them, stepping into the group as a gray tom with white paws just finished a hunting story.

"Who are you?" Willowpaw asked the nearest she-cat.

The white she-cat with brown splotches blinked her eyes and finally meowed, "Spottedpaw of WindClan."

"WindClan?" Smokepaw asked, narrowing one eye.

Willowpaw thought they were supposed to be enemies. Onestar and Firestar hadn't gotten along since they were warriors. Willowpaw hoped this group wouldn't chase them out for being ThunderClan.

"You're ThunderClan right?" the gray tom asked.

Willowpaw and Smokepaw nodded.

"I guess you're new," Spottedpaw meowed. "These are other apprentices from WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan."

Willowpaw looked and saw that the group was bigger than she thought. She also felt relieved other Clan apprentices were there. It wasn't likely she and her brother would be shunned now.

"What are you're names?" Spottedpaw asked. Her voice sounded nice and polite, not at all like an enemy.

"Smokepaw," Willowpaw's brother answered. "This is my sister Willowpaw. Our brothers and sister couldn't make it."

"How sad," the gray tom purred, not sounding sad at all. His yellow eyes glinted as he glanced at a black tom beside him. "My name is Pebblepaw and this is Nightpaw. We're RiverClan cats."

More introductions were given but just then the leaders yowled for attention. Willowpaw turned away from the other apprentices and stared up at Firestar. On the branches with him were Leopardstar, Blackstar, and Onestar. Wide leaves half covered the leaders, swathing them into shadows. It was a strange effect, especially with their eyes glowing in the moon light.

The ShadowClan leader was the first to speak.

"ShadowClan welcomes Airpool and Hollytail as warriors," Blackstar meowed with a strong voice. Two of the ShadowClan cats stood up and Willowpaw strained to look at them.

"We also are proud to say three new kits have entered our Clan and we regret the death of Tallpoppy who has joined StarClan this last moon."

The Clans rumbled their sympathies. Willowpaw could only wonder who that great warrior had once been and what deeds they'd done.

Leopardstar took the tree next. She introduced an apprentice who was new and a warrior, then sat down.

Firestar came next and Willowpaw felt her heart raise at the sight of her leader and mentor. So far no one else but ThunderClan knew that he was her mentor. She wondered what the other apprentices would think if they knew she had one of the best warriors in the Clans as her mentor. She was sure they'd look up to her.

"The prey is running well in our territory," Firestar meowed, his eyes looking over the cats below him. "We have gotten five new apprentices to help catch it. Willowpaw, Birdpaw, Smokepaw, Rainpaw, and Darkpaw. We have also gotten two new kits. Orangekit and Featherkit. As many of you might have heard by now, my granddaughter Hollyleaf returned to us this last moon. She is not dead as we feared, but alive and we are thankful to StarClan for her return."

Willowpaw couldn't help but notice many of ThunderClan didn't look to happy about it. Willowpaw just sighed. She loved Hollyleaf's kits and knew they'd be good friends when they finally joined the apprentices. She couldn't help but think Hollyleaf's coming and announcement of having half-Tribe kits was overshadowing other happy things her Clan could have been doing. They were all concentrating on the black she-cat so much, Willowpaw was almost being neglected in her training as Firestar had to smooth over problems with Hollyleaf and her kits.

The other Clans seemed to notice the silent unease spreading through ThunderClan. Pebblepaw narrowed his eyes at Willowpaw and gave a dangerous smile. Willowpaw blinked at him and looked away. She had no idea what he was up to, but she decided she couldn't trust him. Something about him made her back fur raise. She huddled closer to her brother.

Onestar was on the branch when Willowpaw next looked up. The brown tabby leader declared a few things and sat back down.

Willowpaw was surprised when all of the cats got up. It was odd that the Gathering was over so quickly. She thought they'd spend more time together. She'd wanted to get to know Spottedpaw some more. She had a feeling she'd like the white and brown apprentice. That maybe they'd be friends. However, Willowpaw didn't protest but followed Smokepaw to the fallen tree with her Clan. As she got there she caught one more glimpse of Spottedpaw.

"See you next time," the WindClan apprentice promised.

Willowpaw smiled and nodded, watching Spottedpaw fade away behind some fishy smelling warriors. Then Willowpaw jumped onto the log. As she made her way across, she thought about how Firestar was right. It was easier the second time across. When she was halfway, a cat came pounding over the log behind her. Startled by the noise, Willowpaw froze. She started to turn her head when the gray pelt of Pebblepaw thrust by her, followed by Nightpaw. Overbalanced and unable to catch herself, Willowpaw fell. She hit the water and the cold spread through her.


	12. Chapter 10

Willowpaw gasped, lungs instantly filling with bitterly cold water. It surrounded her as she wildly thrashed and twisted through the dark depths, but she felt herself sinking. The light began to fade as greenish blue waters smothered her with their shadows.  
Her whole body soaked to the bone and her eyes rolling, Willowpaw fought to stay awake. Things had gone wrong so suddenly, and she felt terror making her heart pound. She was alone. Had anyone seen her fall in?  
Would she die?  
Her mouth gaping in a silent, watery wail, Willowpaw felt her thrashes become weak punches, like a dying butterfly's wing beats, and watery consumed her, filling her throat, her ears, her nose. She blinked gently as a quiet peace began to surround her...  
As sudden as when she'd fallen in, there was a great, muted roar as water surged around her, frothing and snarling, as powerful paws swum into the cold water. Something sharp bit her neck, and suddenly she was slowly being tugged, dragged through the water...  
And then there was no more water. Beautiful, crisp air was her water as she was dragged from the lake. Firm earth steadied her paws, and she shivered, coughing up water, whole body freezing, her fur plastered to her body.  
"Willowpaw!"  
"Is she alright?"  
"Who knocked her into the water?"  
Startled meows surrounded her, but she only vaguely heard them. All she was concentrated on was the faint beating of her exhausted heart. She was alive. The knowledge flowed around her, and she shuddered. It had been so cold down there, so dark, and lonely...  
Who had saved her?  
Drained of energy, she couldn't lift her head. Someone was rasping their tongue over her cold body, and warm fur was pressed against her in an effort to wake her up. She thought she smelled Firestar but she wasn't sure.  
Eyes fluttering, she gazed around, breathing heavily. "Wh- who saved me?" she croaked.  
She was surrounded by Jayfeather and Redgaze, and Firestar. But to her surprise, none of them were soaked. Instead, a smaller cat pushed his way through the crowd of cats, curiously looking to see if she was okay, a cat with dripping-wet brown and white fur. His eyes narrowed when he looked at Willowpaw, and her breath caught.  
"Spottedpaw?" she mewed weakly, coughing. "Y- you-?"  
"I had to," he said shortly, shrugging limply. "I couldn't see you die. And no one else was doing anything. They were frozen with fear... or stupidity, one or the other."  
A burly gray tom standing next to Spottedpaw cuffed the apprentice over the head.  
"He's half right," Firestar admitted, gazing between Willowpaw and Spottedpaw. "We were motionless and he jumped in first. He's stronger than you think... and braver than we all guessed. Thank you, Spottedpaw," he added, nodding to the much younger cat, whose ears were flattened uncertainly. "I owe you the life of one of my warriors."  
Willowpaw shivered, and Spottedpaw, looking just as cold, padded awkwardly over to her, his tail lashing. "You're welcome," he muttered, looking sheepish. Willowpaw's eyes widened, and she slowly stood up, coughing, and shook water from her pelt. Why did he look so ashamed of saving her life? Suddenly she felt eyes boring into her skull, and turned to see Onestar staring at them both, eyes dark. Of course. Onestar must wonder why his apprentice would gladly save another apprentice's life from a rival Clan.  
Stifling a prick of annoyance towards the older WindClan leader, Willowpaw touched her nose to Spottedpaw's wet flank, coughing again. "You're a mousebrain for jumping into the water. You should have let my father or someone do it," she murmured through her teeth, flicking an ear.  
Spottedpaw said nothing, but his eyes were brighter as he stepped away and cleared his throat. "Well, that's that, I guess," he mumbled to the cats. Cats of RiverClan and DarkClan, who had nothing to do with this as their cats hadn't been involved, began walking away, and finally the Gathering was truly broken up.  
Sandstorm exchanged a look with Firestar before turning and guiding ThunderClan across the log. WindClan cats waited this time, tails lashing and a low mutter going about the mottled group, and Willowpaw looked back at Spottedpaw one last time before being nudged carefully across the log by Leopardgaze.  
But as she passed, she didn't miss the final exchange between Firestar and Onestar. The two leaders were facing each other, heads low, tails twitching. Onestar was speaking in a low voice as Willowpaw passed, and her eyes widened at what she heard.  
"Why can't you ever keep your cats away from mine? You need to control them better," he was growling.  
Firestar's eyes instantly flamed. "I didn't tell your cat to jump in after Willowpaw, Onestar."  
"And I didn't tell Leafpool to get pregnant with-"  
"Drop it!" Firestar sounded uncharacteristically furious as he stormed away, cutting in front of Willowpaw and Leopardgaze and racing across the log. Onestar stared after him, ears flat, tail lashing.


End file.
